1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand tools for sifting and separating articles from sand. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a marine microplastic particle removal tool for use along beaches and shorelines for removing deposited microplastics therealong. The present invention provides a deployable mesh screen that utilizes electrostatic attraction to filter microplastic material from sifted sand.
Marine microplastics are a major environmental issue for beachfront property and coastal areas. Microplastics are minute plastic particles that are a product of environmental pollution created by discarded plastic products and different industries. Primary microplastics are particles that are generally less than a millimeter and are a product of various manufacturing industries, while secondary microplastics similarly sized particles derived from larger plastic product waste and textile fibers in the marine environment. These particles are not readily biodegradable and float with the ocean tides, generally depositing along shore lines and leaving visible bands of microplastic deposits therealong as the tide changes from high to low. As the tide recedes, the band of microplastic deposits becomes visible and is unsightly, not to mention environmentally unhealthy and potentially dangerous to wildlife and human alike.
The deposit of microplastics along beaches, aside from having an ecological impact, has a significant economic impact on local businesses and property owners therealong. Ocean resorts and hotels must maintain their property for guests, keeping up the appearance of the beach for continued use and for aesthetic reasons. Therefore the burden of cleanup of these microplastic deposits shifts to the local businesses and property owners, which can be both incredibly costly and time consuming. Different techniques are deployed, including both manual and mechanized removal of whole swathes of beach sand to remove the miniscule particles therefrom.
The present invention relates to a manual microplastics removal tool that has been proven particularly useful for sifting through sand and removing microplastic material contained therein. Specifically, the present invention relates to a hand tool that comprises an elongated wire mesh material secured between a first and second pole member. The wire mesh comprises a fine mesh size and a coating of polyurethane thereover such that as the beach sand is sifted, the microplastics become statically charged and attracted to the mesh. Sand affected by the microplastic deposits is shoveled onto the wire mesh, whereafter the sand is sifted, allowing the sand to pass through the wire mesh while capturing large quantities of the microplastics thereagainst. The assembly can then be wiped clean of the charged microplastics, wherein the same are deposited into a receptacle and disposed of. The tool allows users to quickly separate the microplastics from the sand without removing large quantities of the beach sand from the area and without resorting to larger, mechanized means of removal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Methods have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to removal of marine microplastic particles from both marine environments and shorelines. These include the use of mostly mechanized devices that require considerable expense on the part of the property owner or the local authorities in charge of the cleanup activities. The present invention relates to a manual tool that requires a first and second user to operate. A thin layer of sand is skimmed from the beach along the band of microplastic particles that have washed ashore as a result of the tides. The sand is sifted using a fine mesh screen, whereby the sand is free to pass therethrough while the microplastics cling to the mesh screen as a result of electrostatic attraction. The tool is readily deployed and stowed, and does not require great expense on the part of the user.
The prior art methods of cleanup involve the use of heavy machinery or laborious procedures for removing the affected sand. The present invention has been shown as a useful tool that fulfills a long felt need in the art for improving the ability of one to react to microplastic waste deposits along a shoreline without great expense. It is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing microplastic removal tools and methods. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.